Managing Arms in Peace Processes: The Issues

The global arena's main preoccupation during the Cold War centered on the maintenance of international peace and stability between states. In these circumstances, the ability of groups within states to engage in protest and to challenge recognized authority was limited. The end of the Cold War, however, led to a relaxing off this pattern. The ensuing break up of alliances, partnerships and regional support systems brought new and often weak states into the international arena. Weak states tend to be more susceptible to ethnic tensions, and many regions are now afflicted by violent inter-state conflicts. The Disarmament and Conflict Resolution Project believes that the way to achieve peace, defined in terms of long-term stability, is to focus not only on sources of violence such as social and political development issues, but also on the tools of violence, ie weapons and munitions. This volume consists of six policy papers.